The Free Land of Catopes is a colossal, cultured nation, ruled by Erving Goffman with a fair hand, and remarkable for its national health service, infamous sell-swords, and keen interest in outer space. The compassionate, democratic, cheerful population of 4.182 billion Catopesians love a good election, and the government gives them plenty of them. Universities tend to be full of students debating the merits of various civil and political rights, while businesses are tightly regulated and the wealthy viewed with suspicion.

The large, outspoken government juggles the competing demands of Education, Administration, and Welfare. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Capethens. The average income tax rate is 83.8%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The frighteningly efficient Catopesian economy, worth 584 trillion Craniras a year, is led by the Information Technology industry, with major contributions from Book Publishing, Tourism, and Trout Farming. State-owned companies are common. Average income is an impressive 139,655 Craniras, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 3.0 times as much as the poorest.

Lawyers spend as much time preparing their make-up as they do their briefs, employers are finding it hard to screen candidates now that everyone gets A grades in their exams, businesses often fire workers in favour of cheaper automatic systems, and primetime re-runs of The Black and White Minstrel Show are a critical hit. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Catopes's national animal is the Orcinus Orca, which is also the nation's favorite main course, and its national religion is Atheism.

Catopes is ranked 111,863^rd in the world and 5,878^th in Balder for Largest Cheese Export Sector, scoring 2,964.56 on the Mozzarella Productivity Index.